


In Time

by Zanecole421



Series: In Time [1]
Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Bill is around 25, Dipper and Mabel are around 18/19, F/M, Gideon still has magic powers because of reasons, Human Bill Cipher, M/M, Romance, Statue Bill Cipher
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-04
Updated: 2018-07-04
Packaged: 2019-06-05 06:56:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15165098
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zanecole421/pseuds/Zanecole421
Summary: With Weirdmageddon finally over the people of Gravity Falls can finally be at peace except one. He spends a countless time encased in stone still thinking and hearing but never able to see. He longs to see again and only one voice keeps him going – Dipper’s. When the unthinkable happens, allowing his deepest wish what will become of him?





	In Time

**Author's Note:**

> Warning Billdip. If you don’t like that ship don’t read this. It was meant to be cute and fluffy but turned into something heavier. Told from Bill’s POV in case it isn’t clear. 
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own ‘Gravity Falls’ it belongs to Alex Hirsch and his amazing team. I’m not making any money from writing this. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

**‘You were my past …’**

The forest was so cold. Cold and lonely. I could still hear everything around me, the animals and wind. I could still feel. Emotions and the moss slowly creeping up my stone body. I could still think and wallow in self-pity and hatred. But I couldn’t see. It was torture to feel and know change was happening. Being unable to see it was crushing me.

What crushed me the most was that I couldn’t see you. To know you’d changed. To hear your voice and know all the time I’d missed. 

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Even encased in stone the chaos of my mind remains. 

It was the end of summer; the day before your thirteenth birthday and you nearly died at my hand. In my rage and insane mind, I disregarded everything; even my own destruction. I died at your hand; indirectly and with some trickery but it was your fault. 

No. That’s not true. The blame was – is – entirely my own. 

I didn’t truly die though. I am a being of pure energy and as long as one remembers I remain. In stone yes, but I exist. I exist in a fate worse than death. Aware but unable to move, unable to see; trapped in stone for eternity. 

Oh, the times we had. The adventures, the fun – the Deals. 

You made the most excellent puppet. Metaphorically and literally. Though in the end it was you who pulled the strings. Sneaky mortal. 

I miss those times. I miss my powers, my henchmanaics, having the world at my feet. Well, Gravity Falls at my feet. Stupid barrier. But maybe, in the end; that was a good thing. 

Most of all I miss your face. The expressions you made, so easy to read. Your sweet brown eyes, your messy chocolate hair, your easily blushing face. The birthmark you try so desperately to hide. I just miss you Dipper. My Pine Tree. 

I lost all track of the time. It could have been days, weeks, months, years. I tried to follow time by feeling the sun on my stone body, but the sun doesn’t shine every day, so I gave up. I lost what remained of my already messed up sanity. I forgot emotion. I had spent too long alone. 

But then you came. You found me, and you brought me back from the edge of complete destruction.

You saved me. Your sweet, melodic, hypnotising voice saved me. Ironic considering we spent so much time trying to destroy each other. 

You were scared at first. Understandable. Full of loathing and cynicism. I don’t blame you. I had taunted you all that I would return. 

Then you stopped being afraid. You spoke to me the way I imagine one would talk to a friend. I wouldn’t know. I had minions not friends. 

You told me about your summers. How the weirdness remained, how you thought it would disappear when I did. Oh, no, no. I choose Gravity Falls because of the dimensional rift. A place already used to weird whether they acknowledged it or not was the perfect place to start world domination. That was the plan anyway. Stupid barrier. 

You told me about your friends. How Soos had improved the Mystery Shack, how McGucket was world famous, how Wendy had married Robbie. 

The last one made me pause. They were teenagers; too young for marriage surely? I had never understood humans. Not really. It was why I wanted to conquer them. You destroyed what you didn’t understand. I wanted to show them how meaningless their existence was. Only good for Deals.

I wondered again briefly of the time. Then the things you told me might make more sense, but it was pointless. Time was a useless, irrelevant thing when you were immortal. Even more so when you were entombed in stone. But what was the year? How many had passed? How much had you grown? Questions I could never answer. If only I could see your face. 

You told me of your home, your school, your continuing adventures in the forest every summer. Meaningless information. I wanted to hear about you. Your feelings, your thoughts, what made you; you. Not things connected to you. Your voice was so beautiful that I didn’t really mind. 

Then one day you told me your name. Your real name. I wondered what possessed you to tell me. Names held power. I should know. If you uttered mine you’d evaporate with horror and ecstasy expressed on your face. But in that moment I wanted to tell you mine. Share in your honesty. I wished for eyes to see your face as you told me, for arms to hold you. I wanted a real body to do all of those things and more. 

Mason Pines.

Your name would beat throughout my stone body when you left for the day until you came back. Like a heartbeat. 

I regained the ability to judge time based on your visits. I know you couldn’t come every day. People would get suspicious and you had your family. 

The summer is such a short time. 

You told me you were leaving. Leaving Gravity Falls for the new school year. Your first in college but that you would see me next summer. When you came home again. To the people who understood. 

When you came to see me.

You said I was home. That I reminded you that what happened was real. You couldn’t tell anyone in California. You and your friends carried the burden alone. 

If I could have cried I would have. I had caused you so much pain. Damaged you beyond repair. Tainted your childhood; your innocence. I wished for true death then. 

But if I was gone you could never heal.

**‘… You are my present … ‘**

You were coming today. The first day of the summer. It had been years since I last possessed an eye to see you with but your voice told the passage of time. It broke, got deeper and stronger. You got more confident in yourself; in who you are.

You were just finishing your first year in college studying philosophy, physics and mythology. You told me the idea of studying physics and mythology made you laugh. You witnessed the bending of reality and the complete disregard for physics. You had seen monsters and myth come to life. Seen worse than myth could ever imagine. Some of your closest friends were monsters. You had witnessed a dimensional tear. You had dealt with me. You found it amusing. 

When you spoke like that you sounded like me. How I used to be. I used to find great amusement in everything; especially others pain. It worried me deeply that this was the rabbit hole you were about to fall into. 

I had to save you; like you saved me. 

But stone can’t move. For once in my immortal life I was powerless. 

A rustle in the forest jerked me from those thoughts. I immediately knew it was you. I had learned your foots steps. I knew when you had a limp or when you were wearing different shoes. I could also hear your breath. You had been running. Why? 

“Hey Bill. It’s been a while.” I could hear your smile and your voice was as sweet as ever. I loved the sound of your voice. 

I heard you flop onto the ground by my left side. Always my side. You never sat facing me. You did look at me but never my face. Looking into my eye was probably still painful to even contemplate doing. 

“College is out for the year. Stupid amounts of holiday homework to do of course. Already did most of it in the obligatory two weeks with the family. Mabel hasn’t even started yet of course.” 

You paused to take a deep breath and you let it out slowly. You were probably thinking of your family and smiling softly at the thought of Mabel. Everyone knew she’d wait until the last minute to do it and beg you to help her. 

“It’s good to be back in Gravity Falls Bill. It’s good to see you again.” 

But you weren’t. I could tell you were facing the woods as you spoke. 

“My friends didn’t understand why I couldn’t wait to come to the middle of nowhere.” You gave a dry laugh. “Naïve souls.” 

No. Not naïve. Innocent, untainted, pure. You faced too much, too young. All because of me and my selfish desires. 

“I can’t stay long though.” You whispered. 

I bristled. You only just got here, and you were leaving again?! 

“I came straight here you see. Came straight to you. Dumped my stuff at the Shack with Mabel and the others. I can’t even remember the excuse I gave before running here. I know they’ll worry but I had to see you.” You trailed off like you had more to say but wasn’t sure how to say it. 

I was angered at your inconsideration. Why would you come to see me before your own family?! How was that justified? 

“I missed you Bill.” You rushed on like if you didn’t say what you were going to say now you never would. “I missed you more than usual. I had half a mind to leave early but Mabel would’ve killed me. Make that summer pointless eh?” You gave a soft laugh to try to hide the gravity of your words, but I saw right through you. I knew you well enough now to tell when you were trying to hide something. 

But I was too angry with you to dissect what you said properly. How could you joke about your near death? That summer could have ended so differently if not for that stupid barrier. 

You sighed content and I sensed you rise. You probably dusted down your jeans before you – 

You touched me. 

You never touched me. 

It felt like I was having a stroke. My brain shut down at your touch. 

Your fingers lingered on my arm. The one that was permanently reaching out for something I could never grab. 

You said nothing but your breath hitched. I did not like this. Not one bit. What was going through your mind? 

Your fingers danced down my arm to mine and your hand closed in a lose grip, enveloping mine with the warmth of your skin. 

Even without seeing I knew you looked in my eye then. 

If I had a beating heart it would have stopped. 

You let out a breath I didn’t realise you were holding as you tightened your grip. If I could feel properly I was pretty sure you’d be crushing my hand. 

“I wish you could answer me back Bill.” You whispered. “I tell you all these things and I don’t even know if you can hear me. But it’s still good to talk.” 

You took a shaky breath as you let go and my body felt colder than ever. 

“To talk to someone who was there. To talk to someone who’s as broken as I am. Mabel can only do so much. She tries to offer solutions in our sleepless nights, but I don’t need that. I just need you.”

I could hear your shallow breathing like you were contemplating doing something you knew you shouldn’t.

“You’re covered in moss Bill.” You murmured, and you kissed me anyway. 

It barely counted as a kiss. A quick brush of your lips on my stone eye. 

I wished I had lips. Real or stone for you to kiss properly. 

You left on shaking legs with quick breaths and you took my heart with you.

**‘… But you can never be my future.’**

You didn’t come the next day or the next or the one after that.

Had something happened to you? My worry grew by the minute. 

Mabel came though. I didn’t recognise her at first. Her voice had matured a lot and her steps weren’t the same. I hoped her personality was the same. Even in a rampage she never failed to bring me joy. 

“Bill?” She muttered softly uncertain. Scared. “It’s Mabel. Mabel Pines.” 

I rolled my eye internally. How many Mabel’s did she think I knew? Her voice shook dangerously and I had never felt so much remorse for my actions. 

“I – I …” She stuttered like she didn’t know what to say. That wasn’t the Mabel I knew nor was it the Mabel, Dipper had spoken of fondly. 

The Mabel I knew always had something to say even when it was unwanted. It was a job to get her to shut up. She was the same through all these years if Dipper spoke the truth. 

I did not like this Mabel.

“I saw!” She blurted. “I saw.” She said again softer. I could sense that she stood in front of me looking towards the ground.

“I saw Dipper kiss you.” 

Fear rose up in me. Panic overtook my mind allowing only one thought. _Run._ And if I could have I would’ve. 

“We all knew he came to see someone. Why else would he leave nearly the same time every day? None of us said anything. We all cope in different ways.” She choked on her words. She was crying. 

I hated the sound. I had caused her so much pain already. My very existence was enough. I wanted to hug her. To tell her everything would be okay but we both knew that was a lie. 

“He comes back with stupid grins on his face. We assumed it was a girl and then he mentioned a man. We shrugged it off. I mean this is the twenty-first century, but I guess; I just never expected it to be you!” 

If I had breath I would have lost it. Was it possible? 

“He loves you Bill! I don’t understand how but he does.” 

I felt like I was floating and that’s quite a feeling to achieve in a stone body. I was ridiculously happy. 

“So, I want to help.” Mabel continued. Huh? I’d forgot she was there in my delight. “Gideon’s willing and Grunkle Ford thinks he may know a way.” 

I was puzzled. Since when was Gideon willing for anything and for what? Knowing a way for what? I didn’t have long to wait for my answer. 

“A way to make you human.” 

WHAT?! 

“We know you were destroyed in Grunkle Stan’s mind and your physical body is stone but Grunkle Ford thinks, that if Grunkle Stan’s memories returned you could too. That part of you is in the stone. Like your conscience or whatever. It got too science-y for me at that point. But if it’s true we can help.” 

My stone heart melted at her kindness. After everything I did to them and the town she and her great uncle (especially considering he was the one I betrayed) wanted to help me; wanted to bring me back into reality? 

She was completely right as well. Part of me was here. I wished I could wave my arms in her face; too prove I understood and show my thanks. 

“But understand.” Her voice turned protective and gruff. She had my complete attention. An angry Mabel was terrifying. “This isn’t for you. It’s for Dipper. And if you try anything or hurt him we’ll turn you right back!” I imagined she was thrusting a finger at me in a threatening manner. Dipper was the most important thing in her life only just beating Waddles. (She really loved that pig). 

I wished I could have made some gesture to show that I understood and that I would never do either of those things. It wasn’t who I was anymore. 

“Good.” Mabel interpreted my lack of response in the way I wanted her to. “I’ll be back tomorrow with Grunkle Ford and Gideon then.” I sensed her nod to herself before she looked at me again. A soft smile graced her face as she left.

I found myself – for the first time since being imprisoned – filled with hope. I couldn’t wait for tomorrow. 

The life I thought I could never have was attainable. The boy I thought I could never have was within reach. 

The future was possible.

**‘That’s what I thought …’**

True to her word Mabel returned the next day. She brought two people with her. I easily recognised Ford’s footsteps and the other was a mystery to me. I assumed it was Gideon. I couldn’t see them, and they weren’t close to me yet but I had, had a long time to improve my hearing.

They had stopped moving and had a brief conversation, probably to check that they really wanted to do this but I was unsure. By the time the wind carried their words to me they were nothing but nonsense mumblings. 

They continued to walk in silence until they reached me. It was un-nerving to have another of my senses taken like that. The one I relied on; the only one I had left really.

Ford shuffled around me clipping things onto my stone body. There was some grumbling and cursing as he busied himself with his preparations. He didn’t betray what he felt at seeing me again and I didn’t want to know. Not now; not ever. Gideon stood a little ways off radiating distrust and hostility. I thought Mabel said he was willing? Mabel herself was fussing around Ford and mainly getting in the way. 

After what seemed like forever (I should know) Ford declared triumphally that he was ready. I heard the muted sound of buttons being pressed and switches flipped. It was a strange, foreign sound in the quiet forest. 

For the first time since Mabel spoke of the idea I was wary. What if it was all an elaborate ruse? To get rid of me completely? It wasn’t like I could stop them anyway.

Gideon had come closer as I mildly panicked and he began to chant. If I focused I would have been able to understand what he was saying but I couldn’t. The immense pain overtook me. 

It was a strange sensation to feel my heart begin to beat; to feel my blood to move around my body; to have scents bombard my nostrils. I could taste the air. I could feel and hear the stone cracking. I screamed and heard my voice. 

I had a brief joy at being alive again before I lost consciousness. 

***** 

“Is he okay?” The panicking voice of Mabel was what greeted me when I woke. “Did we kill him?! Oh Lord!” She started to sob which annoyed me greatly. I wanted to sleep. 

“Mabel it’s okay. I told you he’d lose consciousness due to the pain. I told you it’d been painful for him. It’s a painful thing; changing forms.” Ford half reassured half ordered her. 

I noticed he left out that most didn’t survive the process of changing forms. The practice was banned in serval dimensions for that reason. 

Mabel mumbled something in response and sniffed heavily, still crying but quieter. My head was killing me, so I was grateful for that. Everything ached, and my limbs felt heavy. 

I was barely conscious and didn’t have much energy, but I needed to stop Mabel from crying. She was only making my headache worse. I let out a quiet groan to get her attention. There was a collective sharp intake of breath and a weight crashed into me knocking me further into the ground. 

“Bill! Thank everything you’re alright!” Mabel. I should have known she’d be the only one the hug me. Wait. She was hugging me. Voluntarily. She squeezed me tightly cutting me off from my thoughts as I couldn’t breathe. I needed to do that now. What a pain. 

She let me go as suddenly as she grabbed me causing my head to spin disorientating me further. I’d only just come back to consciousness for crying out loud. Also, I’d been stone for who knows how long. Let me get my bearings girl! 

She held me at arm’s length assessing my appearance and I analysed hers. It had been years since I had seen her after all. She was the same really, just older. Her face had filled out some and had more creases, probably from laughing too much. As she looked at me her mouth was parted slightly, and I saw that she no longer had braces. That unsettled me as he didn’t look like herself anymore without them. Her eyes where the same brown and full of mischief. Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew that these eyes were also Dipper’s eyes. 

She was wearing a red headband in her long chocolate hair and a bright green sweater with a pattern of triangles. She either wore that ironically or one hundred percent on purpose. A dark blue skirt that reached her knees with a mysterious stain on it and this was Mabel, so I did not want to know where it had come from. Her shoes were somewhat sensible as they were ankle boots; much better for the woods than the dolly-shoes she used to wear. 

With our assessments of each other complete we both lent back a bit just taking the situation in. I was completely clueless for what to say and I was unsure if I could even find my voice at that point my throat was so dry. Mabel’s face had a look of wonder and disbelieve making me curious about my new appearance. One thing was safe to assume and that was that I’d have to use my flesh sticks. Or legs. I had them before, but I rarely used them. Why walk when you can hover? 

“You’re kind of hot.” Mabel’s soft voice brought me back from my reverie and I gapped at her. If I didn’t know what to say before I definitely didn’t know what to say to _that!_

It took a moment before Mabel realised what she had said. I saw the realisation dawn on her face. If she had said _literally anything else_ I would have laughed at her expression. She released me so quickly that I wobbled; I hadn’t realised that I’d been leaning into her hold to keep myself balanced. 

“I didn’t mean to say that! Why did I say that?!” Mabel berated herself with her hand slapped over her mouth. She jumped up and walked away mumbling nonsense to herself. 

I was lost on what to do until Ford knelt down gently in front of me and put a six-fingered hand on my right shoulder. He gave a slight reassuring squeeze and I warm smile which baffled me. I had literally tried to kill him and his family on more than one occasion. 

He looked pretty much the same down to the clothes he was wearing but his eyes had something else in them. They looked tired; almost like he’d given up. He looked me in the eye and I saw them fill with something else. Hope. 

“Welcome back old friend. It’s been far too long.” He pulled me in for a brief hug with a small smile gracing his lips. 

I was still playing catch up. They liked me? 

“We should get you back to the Shack.” He said firmly. Back to business then; good old Sixer. He never really was one for open affection and sentiment. He stood and offered me his hand. “Come on, up you get.” I looked at his hand like I’d never seen it before. Why were they being so kind? 

He beckoned me with his hand and had a playful smile. He knew I didn’t use my legs before; he was toying with me! I guess I deserved it. No, I did deserve it and so much worse. But they were good people. Stanley may beat me six ways to Sunday, but Ford would fix me up again. 

I slowly reached my hand out to his and was shocked at my skin. It wasn’t black or yellow. I was tan. I really needed to see my face now. I needed a mirror. 

I stumbled upwards holding onto Ford’s hand for dear life. Mabel came to my other side and helped as well. Gideon stood off to the side with a look of faint anger and slight worry etched into his face. I decided to ignore that for now. I had to concentrate on my limbs. 

I was tall. That much was for sure. I towered over them by a good few feet. Each off my arms were thrown across Ford’s and Mabel’s shoulders as they led me through the forest. I babbled my thanks to them all as we clumsily and slowly made our way to the Mystery Shack. 

My voice was so strange. I struggled to form words. Before I would just think of what to say and it was said. Now though my brain, lips and tongue all had to work together to form them. My words sounded more real because of it and so; so human. 

I loved it. 

They led me to a building that was sat further back into the woods behind the Shack itself. Ford said it was his private workspace as there was only so much he could do in the basement. Also no one was allowed in without permission after too many accidents (Mabel) in the Shack’s not-so-secret basement. 

Making it the perfect place to hide me. 

It was a one-room building which was quite big but not at all spacious. There was a massive table in the middle of the room covered in papers and stationary. There were serval blackboards surrounding the table which had graphs and formulae written all over them. Machines and other apparatus lined the walls blinking and beeping. One wall was just shelfing – jars, bottles and smaller apparatus fighting for space. There was a curtained off corner which I assumed was where he slept. 

He hadn’t changed a bit. Always stuck in his work. I smiled too myself glad that something from my past hadn’t changed much. Ford cringed a bit at the mess and promised to tidy up some. We all knew that wouldn’t happen. 

All I needed now was a mirror. 

As if she read my mind Mabel presented a mirror that she had retrieved from the curtained off corner. I took it hesitantly, embarrassed about my shaking hands and how I nearly dropped it. I raised it slowly to reflect my face still unsure of what I would see – what I hopped to see. 

As I saw my new face for the first time I blinked slowly; disbelieving what I saw. I looked … normal. Mostly. 

I had a narrow face with sharp features and a slightly pointed nose. My lips fascinated me. They were bow shaped, full and a soft pink. My hair was the same gold my body used to be and was windswept from the forest stumble. My eyes held my interest the longest though. Or as I should say eye. I only had one in the left socket. It was still my eye though with a narrow, vertical and pure black pupil. I was slightly disappointed that my eye hadn’t changed but that was wishful thinking from the start. At least there would be no mistaking who I was. 

“I – “I stuttered trying to find words to express how I felt. They failed me. Mabel rushed to my side concerned. I had forgot they were even there. 

I laughed loudly startling them all. The whole situation was hilarious. I was standing in the place I tried to destroy; with the people I tried to murder; in a completely new form and I had never felt freer. 

I grabbed Mabel and pulled her tight into my chest in a bone-crushing hug. I released her slightly and grabbed her hands spinning her around in a circle with me. It was a very clumsy circle and we ended up on the floor, but I didn’t care. 

“I’m human!” I yelled hoarsely still shaky with my voice which wasn’t helped by how ecstatic I was feeling. Words (not that I could use them) couldn’t express how happy I was. 

I was happy I was able to move again. I was happy for their forgiveness; for their help. I was happy that I was alive. 

I owed these three people everything.

**‘… And I thought wrong.’**

It had been several weeks, and I still wasn’t allowed to see Dipper.

I knew he kept my disappearance from the forest to himself otherwise Mabel would have told me that he told her. This was massive. He told her everything and this bothered her more than she let in on. I still lacked the ability to read people’s faces clearly, but I could hear it in her voice and sense it in the way she carried herself. I kept that to myself though. If she wanted others to know how she felt, she would tell them. 

She did say that he seemed quite freaked out and more in his own head. He still went into the forest with maps and recreations of the Journals, looking for any clue he could find. The three of us knew he’d never find anything but Mabel and Ford couldn’t tell him to stop without revealing what they knew. 

I was pleased he was looking for me but the more I thought about it the more my pleasure turned to worry. What if he thought I’d escaped and was planning another attempt at world domination? That made me even more anxious to reveal myself but Ford insisted that I ‘get to grips’ with being human first. 

I laughed at him to begin with but soon realised he was right. A lot had changed in the five years I’d been stone. It wasn’t long at all but at the same time it felt like forever. 

Who knew walking everywhere – _all the time_ – would be so hard? I just wanted to jump in the air and float again. Also finding what I wanted instead of levitating it to me or snapping my fingers and making it appear was so bothersome. How do humans do it; I mean really; you guys have no powers _at all._

Also there were so many unwritten social rules to follow. Don’t even get me started on etiquette. So useless. You can’t do this, don’t do that. You can do that here but not there. Public vs. private. Empathy – urgh. Watch what you say you’ll offend this person and you’ll end up in jail (Yawn). Learn modern speech patterns. Blah blah blah followed by more bleurgh. But I had to learn it all if I wanted to see Dipper – eventually. 

Excellent motivation and they all knew it. They’d make great demons. The manipulation. It made me proud. 

Nevertheless I worked hard. Harder than I’d ever worked for anything in my life. With most of my tutelage from Ford considering I sort of lived with him now and occasionally helped out with his research and keeping his lab organised I was deemed ready. Mabel gave some input on how to be more modern which I definitely appreciated. Gideon even gave some help. 

But I was worried. I was about to face a world I had, had no real interaction with. I was nervous. That feeling was new and very unsettling for me. Most emotion was new and confusing; also hormones. Ford and I both cringed a lot when we went over _that._

I was so eager before but that it was actually happening… I didn’t know how to deal with it. I started fussing with my new clothes. That had quickly become a habit of mine. 

Ford had taken a spare eye patch from Stanley for me for my right eye socket. I insisted he re-shape it into a triangle. I was still me after all. I didn’t want to change completely. Mabel had got me a gold tail-coat and black bow-tie. I nearly cried. 

I also had black gloves as seeing my skin every time I looked at my hand was still too strange, a white dress shirt and black waistcoat. Black trousers and shoes. A triangle shaped belt buckle completed the look. 

Mabel scoffed and said I looked too fancy, but I ignored her. This was as close as I could get to my old appearance. I had to forgo the brickwork pattern and my cane. I felt naked without my brickwork. It was a literal part of my skin before and it was bizarre to not have it anymore. 

Gideon still managed to surprise me by giving me a narrow black top-hat. I thought he hated me and only helped because his girlfriend asked him too. Meaning Mabel told him to. 

That relationship gave me a bit of pause. Last, I checked he was infatuated with her and she couldn’t stand him. Dipper hadn’t said anything about it to me and I remembered Mabel saying they all coped in different ways. Maybe this was her way, but I didn’t really care harsh as that sounded. They were happy together and it was none of my business. 

That was also new. Not the not caring part but not wanting to know. I used to make a point of knowing everyone’s business. I invaded and read people’s minds. I used people to achieve my own ends. 

It was a bit of a struggle to accept that I didn’t have any of my powers, but I could get by. Still part of me hung onto the hope that they would come back like Stanley’s memory did. Another part of me knew it was futile. Humans didn’t have powers and I was human now. 

I could; I would; so I did. 

“Come on Dipper. I have something to show you.” Ford announced loudly from outside. 

No backing out now. _Breathe Bill._ I ordered myself trying to stifle my panic. Mabel and Gideon were on stand-by if I needed them. I was glad to finally have someone I could call a friend instead of henchmanaics. 

“Alright great uncle Ford. I’m coming.” Dipper called sounding preoccupied. 

Even from him speaking outside I could hear his beautiful voice as if he’d spoken right next to me. That’s where I hoped to keep him from now on. Right by my side. 

It was surprising how much his voice had become the centre of my existence. 

The creaking of the heavy bomb-proof door alerted me to their incoming presence. Ford urged Dipper in ahead of himself and finally seeing Dipper took my breath away.

He was more beautiful than I thought he’d be. He had grown taller and had the beings of facial hair. It made my heart melt. His hair was the same chocolate brown though messier and had a more ‘I woke up like this’ look. He still wore his pine tree hat though it looked a bit worse for wear now. He had really grown into his skin if that made any sense. He stood straighter; more sure of himself. 

He wore jeans now instead of shorts with proper hiking boots not the trainers he wore when he first explored the forest. He had a plain navy-blue t-shirt and a red flannel shirt left open over the top of it. A black hooded jacket hung on his right arm whilst his hand was holding the recreated Journal 3 in his hand. His left hand held the door open letting the light pour in from behind him. 

I couldn’t tear my eyes away from his face. I could see how much he’d grown but I could still see the boy he used to be. His cheeks had a slight blush from the biting wind outside and I so desperately wanted to believe the colour darkened when he saw me. His lips were parted in silent shock, his warm brown eyes wide in disbelief. He stood frozen at the sight of me and it was in that moment I knew I loved him. 

I pushed myself off Ford’s desk which I had been leaning on and gave a soft smile in his direction. I didn’t even notice when Ford, Gideon and Mabel had left through the back door. 

I looked Dipper in the eyes as I raised my hand in a lazy half wave. I hoped he didn’t see how much my hand shook. My heart was going a mile a minute and part of me wanted to bolt through the door and never return. 

“Hey Pine Tree.”

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you thought of this one (even if you thought it was terrible :P). I worked really hard on it and I’m sorry it’s a monster. No easy way to spilt it unfortunately.
> 
> Finally cross-posting from fanfiction.net.


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